Sri Chinmoy's feats of strength were larger-than-life, superhuman. They had forged a connecting bridge between the outer world and the inner world, between matter and spirit. And it remained there for all men to cross.
"The inner strength that enables me to lift elephants and aeroplanes is not my sole monopoly," Sri Chinmoy emphasised. "Far from it! It is available to anyone who prays and meditates. Everyone can get inner strength from prayer and meditation. Once we have inner strength, we feel secure and confident. At that time, our insecurity disappears and we have solid peace. When our mind has peace, when peace has inundated our entire being, we no longer quarrel with others, we no longer speak ill of others, we no longer declare war on others. It is only because of insecurity that individuals and nations become jealous of one another, fight with one another and try to show their supremacy. In the depths of their hearts i liey know they are weak, so outwardly they want to prove to i he world that they are strong. But if inwardly they know they .ire strong, then their inner peace will come to the fore, and they will not feel the necessity of proving anything. So if we (.in develop our inner strength and inner peace, then this world will have harmony and the feeling of oneness. It will be our true oneness-home.
"Recently I lifted an elephant. In the spiritual world, an elephant represents solid strength. On the physical plane, its strength is unparalleled. The 3,000-pound elephant could easily have destroyed all the human beings who were present when I lifted it. If you had put all of us together, we would have been no match for it. But the elephant was very mild and had tremendous poise and peace. In terms of strength, I am no match for that elephant. But just because it knew that it was infinitely stronger than I am, the elephant remained calm and quiet.
"Similarly, if a country is really strong, especially with inner strength, peace and poise, then like an elephant that
country will remain peaceful. We call some countries superpowers but this is all comparative. They have no inner confidence, therefore they are constantly quarrelling and fighting and trying to prove their supremacy. If they were really superior powers, they would identify themselves with other powers, both superior and inferior. Only when we are strong do we identify ourselves with another strong person. God is omnipotent, He is all Power. That is why He can easily identify Himself with us. Unfortunately, we are very weak and that is why we find it difficult to identify ourselves with our Beloved Supreme. But again, He has given us the supreme secret for acquiring strength: prayer and meditation.
"So I tell my students that we should always pray and meditate to bring forward our own strength from within. It is individuals who are responsible not only for their own lives but also for their countries and for the entire world. It is from individuals that the message-light of inner strength can and will enter into nations. And when oneness-light-strength enters into nations, there will be no more war. It will all be oneness-song.
"We talk about peace, but talking is not the answer. The embodiment of peace is the answer. The revelation of peace is the answer. The offering of peace to the entire world is the answer. First, we have to embody peace and then we have to reveal and offer peace to the world at large. This is what I am trying to do with my weightlifting."
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